Bickerton and Bickerton Attorneys at Law

Rickie Lee Fowler has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder after after five men died from heart attacks during the 2003 San Bernadino wildfires. Supervising Deputy District Attorney Victor Strull contends that, even though the men did not die in the fire, their deaths were the direct result of Fowler setting the fire. Under the felony-murder rule, a defendant can be charged with murder when a victim dies during the commission of a felony. In this case, Fowler is charged with two felony counts of arson. If convicted, Fowler may face the death penalty.

For more information, go to:

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Allegheny County Jail has taped attorney-client telephone calls and released some of those tapes to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Jail officials contend that the taping was likely the inadvertent result of a change in the jail’s phone system.

For more information, go to:

On Saturday night, a group gathered in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh to protest police actions during demonstrations held during the two-day Pittsburgh G20 summit. While almost 200 people were arrested during the demonstrations on Thursday and Friday, as of 11:58 pm on the 26th, there have been no reported arrests in Saturday night’s march.

For more information, go to:

Pittsburgh Police arrested 110 protestors who gathered in Schenley Plaza last night after the conclusion of the G20 Summit. Reports state that after 400 people gathered in Schenley Plaza to demonstrate in what was called a “Police Resistance Rally”, several failed to disperse after receiving orders from police to leave the scene.

For more information, go to:

KDKA reports that 66 people were arrested during the first day of the Pittsburgh G20 Summit. Additionally, 20 local businesses suffered property damage as a result of G20 protest related disturbances. KDKA points out that of the various demonstrations that took place, 12 were peaceful and had no reported arrests.

For more information, go to:

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports that, as a result of the current budget impasse in Pennsylvania, several inmates who have been approved to be released from jail on probation. The inmates in question are homeless. Due to the still-unpassed state budget, emergency shelters are unable to accept the homeless inmates. Therefore, the inmates must remain in jail “because they have nowhere to live and there are no available shelters.”

For more information, go to:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_643169.html

In a preliminary vote, only two members of Pittsburgh City Council voted to enact an ordinance that would prohibit the wearing of any device that would obscure one’s identity when committing a crime. Some members of council believed that the ordinance would violate civil liberties while others believed that the ordinance would be a useful tool for law enforcement.

For more information, go to:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09252/996772-100.stm
http://legistar.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/detailreport/Reports/Temp/910200910506.pdf

Pittsburgh City Council is currently considering an ordinance that would issue a $500 fine to anyone caught urinating outdoors on public or private property. Under the current form of the ordinance, anyone who urinates on property with the owner’s consent would not be fined.

For more information, go to:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09253/996893-53.stm